VA hospital may have infected 1,800 veterans with HIV

[crin63]

If this is true, its criminal.

CNN) -- A Missouri VA hospital is under fire because it may have exposed more than 1,800 veterans to life-threatening diseases such as hepatitis and HIV.

John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis has recently mailed letters to 1,812 veterans telling them they could contract hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after visiting the medical center for dental work, said Rep. Russ Carnahan.

Carnahan said Tuesday he is calling for a investigation into the issue and has sent a letter to President Obama about it.

"This is absolutely unacceptable," said Carnahan, a Democrat from Missouri. "No veteran who has served and risked their life for this great nation should have to worry about their personal safety when receiving much needed healthcare services from a Veterans Administration hospital."

The issue stems from a failure to clean dental instruments properly, the hospital told CNN affiliate KSDK.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/06/30...id=wti8RhVP5-f

[revelarts]

My Mom was a nurse. she worked at 3 different hospitals over her career a long strecth at a VA hospital. She liked it the least. To many vets have gotten sub par treatment in that system. Thank God for the workers that blow the whistle on this kinda crap.

[DragonStryk72]

Okay, this is goverment-run health care. I want to be clear on this point, as to my opposition of government run health care, because many of the examples I have of why it won't work stem from my dealings with the Navy and the VA, and honestly, the military is about as efficient as it's going to get, and it's still a bloody mess.

Our government is not scaled to be able to deal with the numerous things that go on in hospitals, we just aren't. It's not that we're bad people or anything, we just don't have the system in place for this kind of stuff. So naturally, when the government does try to do it, it screws it up, and usually screws it up horribly.

[Abbey Marie]

It's unconscionable to not clean these instruments thoroughly.

And GREAT point, Dragon.

[Sweetchuck]

Okay, this is goverment-run health care. I want to be clear on this point, as to my opposition of government run health care, because many of the examples I have of why it won't work stem from my dealings with the Navy and the VA, and honestly, the military is about as efficient as it's going to get, and it's still a bloody mess.

Our government is not scaled to be able to deal with the numerous things that go on in hospitals, we just aren't. It's not that we're bad people or anything, we just don't have the system in place for this kind of stuff. So naturally, when the government does try to do it, it screws it up, and usually screws it up horribly.

Correct - this is federally ran healthcare.

I work in the healthcare industry, consulting at the moment. VA hospitals are typically among the worst ran healthcare institutions in the nation.

[actsnoblemartin]

this is why i hate the government

[Psychoblues]

I have been an exclusively VA patient for about 2 years now. I have been an off and on patient of the VA since 1972. The American VA provides more and better care than any health-care organization in the entire world. I defy anyone to dispute that fact. Would we expect any less for our Veterans?



Psychoblues

[DragonStryk72]

I have been an exclusively VA patient for about 2 years now. I have been an off and on patient of the VA since 1972. The American VA provides more and better care than any health-care organization in the entire world. I defy anyone to dispute that fact. Would we expect any less for our Veterans?



Psychoblues

sure... I was just imagining things all the times I went, along with every other vet who deals with them regularly that I know.

Also, read the OP, it might be that the HIV infected vets might also disagree with your assessment.